Digital Commons Network^™

A Constructive Trust Is Not Enough - Enacting A Slayer Statute To Better Protect A Decedent’S Heirs, Joseph William Padjune Iii

Texas A&M Journal of Property Law

This Comment explores how Texas’s common law constructive trust solution used to address the “slayer problem” (the problem that occurs when a person kills an individual they would inherit from) has some substantial limitations and explains how this system would be enhanced by enacting a complementary slayer statute. The current constructive trust doctrine fails to adequately protect a victim’s heirs, is too variable in its application, and creates too much uncertainty. By adopting the slayer statute proposed in this Comment, or one similar, the Texas Legislature can better protect a victim’s estate and their heirs. The overall aim of this …

Transformative Artists: Rebalancing The Fair Use Doctrine, Roberto C. Candelas

Texas A&M Journal of Property Law

Copyright law is intended to increase public access to creative works, and in service of this goal it grants exclusive rights to copyright holders to provide them with the economic incentive to create new works. However, the reality is that creative works are often not only influenced by their predecessors, but often are accretions of previous concepts, stylistic approaches, and ideas that add a creator’s imprimatur and thus create a new work that is tethered to its derivatives in ways that range from tenuous to seemingly duplicative. It is within this zone of ambiguous connection that the doctrine of fair …

The Dog Dies At The Beginning Of This Paper: Issuing Victims Protective Orders As A Result Of An Abuser’S Intentional Destruction Of Property, Brighton Frost

Texas A&M Journal of Property Law

Domestic violence is a prevailing issue in the United States for both men and women, growing exponentially during COVID-19. In the law, there are two approaches to remedy this issue. The first being a criminal conviction of the abuser, which requires witness testimony and is held to a higher burden of proof than the other. The other approach is for the victim to obtain a protective order against the abuser. However, in many states, protective orders are only available to victims once the abuser physically attacks them, despite there being reliable signs of abuse before physical violence occurs. Thus, this …

Effects Of Die Type On Mechanical Performance And Failure Behaviors Of Self-Piercing Riveting Joints In Aa5052, Lun Zhao, Amr Monier, Ao Zhang, Liya Li, Ahmed Elkaseer, Zeshan Abbas, Kai Ye

Mechanical Engineering

This study investigates the effects of self-piercing riveting (SPR) die type on the joint quality and failure modes of AA5052 SPR joints. Three die types: flat, pip, and ball-shaped were designed and processed for the SPR process, and 30 riveted specimens were prepared. A 2D axisymmetric finite element (FE) simulation model was established using LS-Dyna to evaluate the impact of each die type. The accuracy of the FE model was validated by comparing simulated joint cross-sections with experimental results. Subsequently, the quality and forming mechanisms of the SPR joints fabricated using each die type were analyzed. Mechanical properties were assessed …

Genome-Wide Transcriptome Differences Associated With Perceived Discrimination In An Urban, Community-Dwelling Middle-Aged Cohort, Natasha L. Pacheco, Nicole Noren Hooten, Sharon Wu, Maame Mensah-Bonsu, Yongqing Zhang, Kumaraswamy Naidu Chitrala, Supriyo De, Nicolle A. Mode, Ngozi Ezike, Danielle L. Beatty Moody, Alan B. Zonderman, Michele K. Evans

Student Publications

Discrimination is a social adversity that is linked to several age-related outcomes. However, the molecular drivers of these observations are poorly understood. Social adverse factors are associated with proinflammatory and interferon gene expression, but little is known about whether additional genes are associated with discrimination among both African American and White adults. In this study, we examined how perceived discrimination in African American and White adults was associated with genome-wide transcriptome differences using RNA sequencing. Perceived discrimination was measured based on responses to self-reported lifetime discrimination and racial discrimination. Differential gene expression and pathway analysis were conducted in a cohort …

Data Augmentation And Machine Learning Algorithms For Multi-Class Imbalanced Morphometrics Data Of Stingless Bees, Daisy Salifu, Lorna Chepkemoi, Eric Ali Ibrahim, Kiatoko Nkoba, Henri E.Z. Tonnang

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The study focusses on handling of multiclass imbalanced data on classification of stingless bee samples by employing data balancing techniques, namely Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique (SMOTE) and Adaptive Synthetic (ADASYN) approach. These techniques are applied in combination with machine learning (ML) algorithms; specifically Random Forest (RF), and Support Vector Machine (SVM), to assess the models’ predictive performance to infer stingless bee samples identities. We studied ML classifier models: RF, RF + SMOTE, RF + ADASYN, SVM, SVM + SMOTE and SVM + ADASYN on the six-class imbalanced dataset of stingless bees morphometrics. Multi-class area under curve (AUC), F1-score, G-mean, balanced …

Increasing The Awareness Of Land Grant Extension Service To Ethnic Minority Students: Collaborative Programming Of Kansas State University College Of Agriculture And K-State Research And Extension Service, Raymond Thomas, Dr. Zelia Z. Wiley, Dr. Lonnie Hobbs Jr., Summer Santillana

Journal of Extension

An important pre-condition to diversifying the workforce of land-grant extension services is access to qualified ethnic minority individuals with an awareness and interest in pursuing extension careers. This paper highlights an example of collaboration between the K-State Research and Extension office and an educational research program at Kansas State University to expand the awareness and knowledge of the functions and career opportunities in extension to ethnic minority students. The result of this study indicates the collaboration increased the perceived knowledge of extension to the students, leading to an ethnic minority student attending graduate school with an emphasis on extension services.

Outcomes Of A 4-H Stem Learning Enrichment Program Using Video Storytelling, Dena Seidel, Marissa Staffen, Lamia Abdallah, Xenia Morin

Journal of Extension

This article shares research outcomes and recommendations for replication of a Food, Agriculture and Marine Ecosystems (FAME) pilot project that successfully supported high school aged youth involved in a new 4-H special interest program. The goal of the program was to recruit and engage underserved youth in STEM learning through the production of food systems video stories in partnership with university plant scientists and science communication researchers and storytellers. This pilot offers an experiential method for underserved youth to engage in STEM learning through science storytelling that features youths' own bio-cultural food system knowledge.

The New American Farmer – Extension Engagement With Urban Agriculture And Food Systems, Margaux S. C. Robinson, Kc V. Cunningham, Jeffery A. Young, Nicole D. Breazeale, Kenneth R. Jones, Julie N. Zimmerman

Journal of Extension

Extension’s evolving role in urban food production will require intensive reflexivity and ongoing collaboration. Extension educators around the country have already made progress in engaging with both the social and horticultural sides of urban agriculture. Designed appropriately, urban food systems hold the potential for healthy food access, community and environmental resilience, and economic prosperity (Rangarajan & Riordan 2019). Moving forward, we offer recommendations for Extension staff to apply within their institutions and beyond. Specifically, we urge Extension to prioritize the following: 1) mediate the rural/urban dichotomy, 2) tackle structural and institutional power dynamics, and 3) intensify strategies for community resilience.

Customer Journey Mapping: A New Tool In The Extension Educator’S Toolbelt, Christopher Sneed, Heejin Lim, Michelle Childs, Megan B. Leffew

Journal of Extension

Customer journey mapping can be used to gain a complete understanding of customers by charting touchpoints across pre-purchase, purchase and post-purchase stages. By lifting customer journey mapping out of traditional retail settings and applying it to farm retail enterprises, customer journey mapping can be a powerful tool in the Extension educator toolbelt – a tool that can be utilized when educating producers in group settings or individual consultations. This article offers an introduction to the customer journey mapping tool. A case study and tips for using journey mapping concludes the article.

Longitudinal Changes In Positive Airway Pressure Device Use After Metabolic Surgery: A 3-Year Matched Cohort Study Of National Claims Data, Michael Kachmar, Elizabeth Wall-Wieler, Yuki Liu, Feibi Zheng, Prachi Singh, Vance L. Albaugh

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Metabolic surgery (MS) is the most durable treatment of obesity and can treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OBJECTIVES: To compare trajectories of positive airway pressure (PAP) device use between individuals who had MS and similar individuals who did not have MS (non-MS). SETTING: Merative MarketScan Research Databases - a US-based commercial claims database. METHODS: Those who underwent MS were matched 1:1 with nonoperative controls on baseline demographic and health characteristics. PAP use trajectories were examined in the 3years after the index dates and stratified by baseline PAP use. RESULTS: A total of 8772 adults who had MS were matched …

Few-Shot Transfer Learning For Individualized Braking Intent Detection On Neuromorphic Hardware, Nathan A. Lutes, V. Sriram Siddhardth Nedendla, K. Krishnamurthy

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This work explores use of a few-shot transfer learning method to train and implement a convolutional spiking neural network (CSNN) on a Brain Chip Akida AKD1000 neuromorphic system-on-chip for developing individual-level, instead of traditionally used group-level, models using electroencephalographic data. The efficacy of the method is studied on an advanced driver assist system related task of predicting braking intention. Approach. Data are collected from participants operating an NVIDIA JetBot on a testbed simulating urban streets for three different scenarios. Participants receive a braking indicator in the form of: (1) an audio countdown in a nominal baseline, stress-free environment; (2) an …

Managing Cybersecurity In Local Governments: 2022, Donald F. Norris Phd, Laura K. Mateczun Jd

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

This paper, based on data from our second nationwide survey of cybersecurity among local or grassroots governments in the U.S., examines how these governments manage this important function. As we have shown elsewhere, cybersecurity among local governments is increasingly important because these governments are under constant or nearly constant cyberattack. Due to the frequency of cyberattacks, as well as the probability that at least some attacks will succeed and cause damage to local government information systems, these governments have great responsibility to protect their information assets. This, in turn, requires these governments to manage cybersecurity effectively, something our data show …

Trichosporon Asahii And Candida Guilliermondii As A Source Of Orbital Infection In An Immunocompromised Individual, David Morcos, Kevin Hardy, Anthony Makovec, Morgan Schill, John Foxworth

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

A 47-year-old male with a history of immunosuppression and recent intensive care unit admission presented with progressive orbital swelling and pain. Blood cultures grew Trichosporon asahii and Candida guilliermondii, with matching positive cultures from peripheral and central venous samples. Given his fungemia and worsening orbital involvement, induction therapy with amphotericin B and isavuconazole was initiated. Within weeks, clinical improvement was noted, prompting a transition to long-term consolidation therapy with oral posaconazole and isavuconazole. At follow-up, the patient demonstrated sustained clinical stability with no recurrence of infection. Orbital involvement from fungemia due to T. asahii and C. guilliermondii is rare, and …

Digit Regeneration Is Expedited In Lg/J Healer Mice Compared To Sm/J Non-Healer Mice, Feini Qu, Kristin L Lenz, Gwendalyn L Krekeler, Xin Duan, Muhammad Farooq Rai, Farshid Guilak

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Limb loss resulting from disease or trauma affects an estimated 185,000 Americans annually, significantly reducing their quality of life. Consequently, successful attempts to regrow missing appendages could substantially improve the prognosis for amputees. In mice, the digit tip spontaneously regenerates resected tissues following distal amputation, whereas this capacity diminishes at more proximal levels after amputation. Moreover, regenerative potential is influenced by genetic variations among inbred mouse strains: LG/J (healer) mice exhibit superior reparative potential compared to SM/J (non-healer) mice. This study investigated the response to various levels of digit amputation in these mice to determine whether this strain-dependent healing response …

Louisiana Health Department Says It Will Stop Promoting Mass Vaccination., Staff

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No abstract provided.

Brittleness Indices For Chemically Corroded Rocks Under Unloading Confining Pressure, Hao Li, Leo Pel, Zhenjiang You, David Smeulders

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Rock brittleness constitutes a pivotal mechanical property for geotechnical engineering. In this paper, multi-scale investigations, involving Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), ion chromatography, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), as well as unloading tests, were conducted to examine the brittle behaviors and mechanisms of rocks under chemical-unloading confinement conditions. This paper defines rock brittleness as the capacity to withstand multiscale fracturing based on experimental investigations into multiscale damage mechanisms and macro-mechanical responses. After that, two novel brittleness indices are proposed, utilizing the dissipated energy consumption and energy-drop coefficients proposed in this study. These indices are then validated using experimental data. …

Intra- And Inter-Plant Variability Of Quinolizidine Alkaloids In Narrow-Leaf Lupin Seeds, Grown Under Different Day/Night Cycles, Tawfeek Khedr, Ling Ling Gao, Lars G. Kamphuis, Angéla Juhász, Michelle L. Colgrave

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Inconsistent fluctuation of quinolizidine alkaloid (QA) content in lupin seeds is often observed, sometimes surpassing safe thresholds (>200 mg/kg) yet lacks a clear explanation. This study aimed to investigate the intra-plant variability of QA content in three narrow-leaf lupin genotypes: Tanjil, Quillinock, and P22660 using LC-MS/MS. QA levels in seeds from the same pods showed <30 % variation, while those from different pods in the same plant sometimes surpassed inter-plant variations (up to 94 %). The average measured QA concentrations under speed breeding conditions in Quillinock, Tanjil, and P22660 were 36, 103, and 27,000 mg/kg, respectively. The impact of longer daylight hours (16h day/8h night), a practice used in speed breeding, on QA content in the cultivar Tanjil was also studied. Longer daylight hours yielded elevated QA levels in Tanjil seeds (103 mg/kg) compared to those grown in a greenhouse (10–13h daylight, 32 mg/kg).

Postharvest Melatonin Application Attenuates Browning, Delays Softening, And Maintains The Antioxidant Potential Of Jackfruit Bulbs, Jashanpreet Kaur, Zora Singh, Muhammad Sohail Mazhar, Hafiz Muhammad Shoaib Shah, Eben Afrifa-Yamoah, Andrew Woodward

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Although the impact of postharvest melatonin (MLT) application in extending the storage life of horticultural produce has been widely studied, its effect in jackfruit remains unknown. This investigation evaluates the influence of MLT dip application (0, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.2 mM) on browning, softening and oxidative stress in cold-stored jackfruit bulbs over a period of 20d. All MLT treatments reduced browning index and oxidative stress, while activities of browning-related enzymes were comparatively lower in the 0.1 mM MLT treatment. Treatment with 0.2 mM MLT maintained elevated levels of antioxidants as compared to control. Higher bulb firmness, total pectin and cellulose …

A Manifesto To Young Activist Scientists And Science Educators: Toward Pluriversal Sciences And Science Educations Within Bioregions And Communities, James C. Jupp

Teaching and Learning Faculty Publications

What follows is a manifesto to substantiate four theses. First, science and science education are not what they purport to be and require recategorization as technoscience and technoscience education. Second, technoscience and technoscience education are constituted in the pernicious whiteness of coloniality and need to be understood as mechanisms of domination. Third, pluriversal sciences and science educations toward bioregion and community are emerging and require leveraging. Fourth, the notion of contextual mitigating factors provides an essential analytic for pluriversal sciences and science educations. The manifesto is a clarion call for affinity …

Perceived Healthfulness Of The Environment Of Communities With Low Income: Focus Groups And Interviews With Extension Nutrition Educators, Elder Garcia Varela, Jamie Zeldman, Jade Mcnamara, Jesse S. Morrell, Lisa Franzen-Castle, Melissa D. Olfert, Tandalayo Kidd, Kendra Kattelmann, Geoffrey Greene, Karla P. Shelnutt, Sarah Colby

Journal of Extension

This study explored Extension nutrition educators’ (NEs) perceptions of community members’ challenges and opportunities for achieving a healthy lifestyle. NEs represented various communities with low income across nine states. NEs across locations identified similar barriers (i.e., lack of access and availability of healthy and affordable foods; access to transportation; and financial insecurity) and opportunities (i.e., trustworthy and free nutrition education resources and programs; and access to food banks, food pantries, and health care professionals) that prevented or facilitated a healthful lifestyle. Future research should explore key community stakeholder and community member perceptions to guide the development of community-driven interventions.

Findings From A National Assessment To Support Implementation Of Cooperative Extension’S 2021 National Framework For Health Equity And Well-Being, Diana Charbonneau, Kerry Gabbert, Latoya O'Neal, Dawn E. Burton, Maggie Jones, Kate Katzman, Roger Rennekamp

Journal of Extension

Cooperative Extension’s National Framework for Health Equity and Well-Being provides a roadmap for improving the health of communities. Core concepts include installing health equity a systemwide value and catalyzing community-level changes that ensure all people have an opportunity to be as healthy as they can. This article presents findings from a national readiness assessment for implementing the Framework across Extension. Results from a literature scan, national survey, and regional listening sessions identified internal facilitators and barriers to adoption. The article provides ideas for how Extension practitioners can engage in this work and shares an action plan developed from assessment results.

Promoting Digital Agriculture Adoption In Community-Based Agricultural Organizations, Jean Hardy, Abbey Palmer

Journal of Extension

Existing research and practice related to digital agriculture technology adoption is largely focused on large-scale producers. In this paper, we describe a case of adopting an advanced soil monitoring system in a community-based agricultural organization. We provide guidance for Extension professionals seeking to implement or promote digital agriculture technology adoption on: selecting appropriate technology, incorporating new technology into existing practices, harnessing local technology champions, and avoiding data-driven mission creep.

Proof Of Concept: Leveraging Large Language Models For Qualitative Analysis Of Participant Feedback, Andrew B. Crocker, Marcelo Schmidt, Juan Diego Tejeda, Howard Rodriguez-Mori

Journal of Extension

This proof-of-concept study explores the innovative application of Large Language Models (LLMs) for qualitative analysis of feedback from an Extension program, addressing the challenge of efficiently analyzing qualitative data. The study juxtaposes traditional human-led qualitative analysis with Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven techniques, revealing the complementary strengths of human insights and AI efficiency. It underscores the potential of LLMs to enhance qualitative analysis while recognizing the need for human oversight to ensure depth and context accuracy. This research contributes to the fields of program evaluation and data analysis, offering a new paradigm for integrating advanced AI tools in qualitative research.

Building Resilience To Public Safety Power Shutoffs Through Public Education, Vikram Koundinya, Cristina Chiarella, Susan Kocher, Faith Kearns, Sabrina Drill

Journal of Extension

Public Safety Power Shutoff events are being implemented in California to reduce wildfire impacts. We surveyed California residents to identify their information needs and understand the potential role of University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) in power shutoff management. A majority of respondents need information on alternative power sources and community power systems. Most respondents indicated family, friends, and neighbors as the important group to manage power shutoff. UCCE was least used and preferred source for power shutoff information. Our findings reveal a need for Cooperative Extension to play an important role in power shutoff management and educating the public.

An Intense Flu Season Is Filling Hospitals With Severely Ill Patients, Staff

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No abstract provided.

‘Casar Public Lecture: A History Of American Hubris’, The Prince Alwaleed Center For American Studies And Research Casar

Performances, Events, and Presentations

Guest Speaker: Dr. Mike Reimer - Professor of History, Sultan Al-Qasimi Department of History, AUC About Lecture: Ever wondered if Trump's wild foreign policy was a total game-changer—or just the latest chapter in America's bold (sometimes over-the-top) world adventures? This lecture titled: 'A History of American Hubris' unpacked over 250 years of U.S. global moves, where his ally- shaking style spotlights deep-rooted patterns.

Venue: GAPP Executive Room P090, Aljameel Building - AUC New Cairo Campus

Date: Sunday, February 15, 2026

Time: 1-2 PM

Learn more about CASAR and follow us:

CASAR website: https://gapp.aucegypt.edu/academics/c...

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/casar.aucegy...

Instagram: https://instagram.com/casar2003?igshi...

Framework, Design, And Baseline Data Of A Collective Impact Initiative To Strengthen The Community Health Worker Workforce Ecosystem In Texas, Sisan B Tennyson, Sheila Savannah, Peter Durand, Amanda Gao, Sean A Haley, Elisa Garcia, Jennifer Cofer, Adrick Harris

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: The Health Equity Collective (HEC), a multi-sector systems-level collective impact coalition in the Greater Houston region, partnered with the City of Houston Health Department (HHD) to launch a 2-year effort to implement a comprehensive approach towards strengthening the regional Community Health Workers (CHW) workforce infrastructure as a pathway to advancing health equity. Our paper presents the logic model, methods, and baseline qualitative and quantitative data from this initiative.

METHODS: In the fall of 2022, the Health Equity Collective brought together a Network of CHW-employing or training organizations in the Greater Houston region. This Network was the working group of …

Identifying Major Depressive Disorder In Older Adults Through Naturalistic Driving Behaviors And Machine Learning, Chen Chen, David C Brown, Noor Al-Hammadi, Sayeh Bayat, Anne Dickerson, Brenda Vrkljan, Matthew Blake, Yiqi Zhu, Jean-Francois Trani, Eric J Lenze, David B Carr, Ganesh M Babulal

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Depression in older adults is often underdiagnosed and has been linked to adverse outcomes, including motor vehicle crashes. With a growing population of older drivers in the United States, innovations in screening methods are needed to identify older adults at greatest risk of decline. This study used machine learning techniques to analyze real-world naturalistic driving data to identify depression status in older adults and examined whether specific demographics and medications improved model performance. We analyzed two years of GPS data from 157 older adults, including 81 with major depressive disorder, using XGBoost and logistic regression models. The top-performing model achieved …

Clark Moustakas’ Husserl, Thomas Byrne

The Qualitative Report

This paper critically examines Clark Moustakas’s presentation of Husserl in Phenomenological Research Methods. I argue that Moustakas’s account misrepresents two core elements of Husserl’s phenomenology – intentionality and the transcendental reduction – in ways that directly compromise the foundations of qualitative phenomenological research. First, Moustakas treats intentional meaning as something private, located within the individual, rather than as given in the world. This misreading severs the connection between experience and a shared world of meaning, leaving qualitative researchers unable to clarify participants’ accounts beyond private expression. Second, Moustakas reduces the transcendental reduction to introspective reflection, overlooking its function as a …